The disposition of solid municipal waste has been and continues to be an increasingly serious problem. Heretofore such waste has been disposed by use as landfill and by incineration. Up to now neither of these methods of waste disposal has been completely satisfactory. Landfill has not always been satisfactory because the materials are not always biodegradable and because of the expense and ever diminishing availability of land for this purpose. Incineration of municipal waste has not been completely satisfactory due to the required expense and lack of financial return.